Non-transitory computer-readable medium, information classification method, and information processing apparatus

ABSTRACT

There is provided a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process. The process includes: acquiring posted information items, each of the posted information items including at least either of a text information item and an image information item; generating text information items including text items in such a manner that image information items are removed from the posted information items, and classifying the text items into first categories; generating image information items including images in such a manner that text information items are removed from the posted information items, and classifying the images into second categories; associating the classified text items and the classified images with each other on the basis of the first and second categories to obtain results; and outputting the text items and the images for each of the results.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 fromJapanese Patent Application No. 2012-158601 filed Jul. 17, 2012.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a non-transitory computer-readablemedium, an information classification method, and an informationprocessing apparatus.

2. Summary

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided anon-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program causing acomputer to execute a process. The process includes the following:acquiring multiple posted information items, each of the multiple postedinformation items including at least either of a text information itemand an image information item; generating text information itemsincluding multiple text items in such a manner that image informationitems are removed from the multiple posted information items, andindividually classifying the text items included in the text informationitems into first categories; generating image information itemsincluding multiple images in such a manner that text information itemsare removed from the multiple posted information items, and individuallyclassifying the images included in the image information items intosecond categories; associating the classified text items and theclassified images with each other on the basis of the first and secondcategories to obtain results; and outputting the text items and theimages, which have been associated with each other, for each of theresults.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described indetail based on the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration ofa microblog classification system according to a first exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration ofa microblog classification server;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configurationof microblog information items;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configurationof microblog text information items;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configurationof microblog image information items;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configurationof microblog-text-information classification results;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configurationof microblog-image-information classification results;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configurationof microblog-information classification results;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of themicroblog classification system;

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a displayscreen that is obtained by performing a display process on a webpageinformation item generated on the basis of the microblog-informationclassification results;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration ofa microblog classification server according to a second exemplaryembodiment; and

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of aconfiguration of category association information items.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION First Exemplary Embodiment Configuration ofMicroblog Classification System

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configurationof a microblog classification system according to a first exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

A microblog classification system 6 includes a microblog classificationserver 1, a microblog server 2, a web server 3, and a terminal 4, andconnects, using a network 5, the individual apparatuses so that theapparatuses are able to communicate with each other. Here, a microblogis a medium in which multiple text information items and imageinformation items that were posted (transmitted) are mixed and displayedin chronological order. More specifically, microblog information itemsstored in the microblog server 2 are subjected to a display process byan information processing apparatus such as the terminal 4, whereby themicroblog is displayed. Hereinafter, the unit of an information itemposted on the microblog is referred, for simplicity, to as a “postedinformation item”. It is supposed that a posted information itemincludes a text information item and an image information item, includesonly a text information item, or includes only an image informationitem. In other words, each of the microblog information items includesmultiple posted information items.

The microblog classification server 1 is an information processingapparatus that includes electronic components such as a centralprocessing unit (CPU) having functions for processing information itemsand a memory. The microblog classification server 1 acquires themicroblog information items from the microblog server 2, and classifiesmultiple text information items and image information items that areincluded in posted information items into individual categories.

The microblog server 2 is an information processing apparatus thatincludes electronic components such as a CPU having functions forprocessing information items and a memory. The microblog server 2accepts text information items such text items and/or image informationitems concerning still images such as photographs or moving images,which have been transmitted from the terminal 4 or the like and whichare to be referred to as posted information items, and generatesmicroblog information items for displaying the posted information itemsin chronological order. Moreover, when the microblog server 2 accepts,from the terminal 4, a request to view the microblog information items,the microblog server 2 transmits the microblog information items to theterminal 4. Note that it is supposed that an image information itemincluded in a posted information item directly includes an informationitem concerning a still image or a moving image or includes a linkdestination information item concerning a link destination in which aninformation item concerning a still image or a moving image is stored.Furthermore, a text information item included in a posted informationitem may directly include an information item concerning a text item ormay include a link destination information item concerning a linkdestination in which an information item concerning a text file, ahypertext markup language (HTML) file, or the like is stored.

The web server 3 is an information processing apparatus that includeselectronic components such as a CPU having functions for processinginformation items and a memory. The web server 3 stores, in the memory,webpage information items for displaying webpages such as HTML files.When the web server 3 receives a request to view a webpage from theterminal 4, the web server 3 transmits a webpage information item to theterminal 4. Note that a webpage information item is generated on thebasis of classification result information items generated by themicroblog classification server 1 as described below.

The terminal 4 includes an operation unit such as a touch panel used toinput an instruction for an operation, a display such as a liquidcrystal display provided under the touch panel, and a controller havingelectronic components such as a CPU and a memory. The terminal 4transmits an information item, which is to be referred to as a postedinformation item, such as a text item or an image, to the microblogserver 2 in accordance with an operation performed by a user, therebyposting the information item on the microblog. Moreover, the terminal 4transmits, to the microblog server 2, in accordance with an operationperformed by the user, a request to view the microblog. When theterminal 4 receives the microblog information items from the microblogserver 2 as a result of the request to view the microblog, the terminal4 displays, on the display, text items or images (still images or movingimages) included in posted information items of the microblog.

Furthermore, the terminal 4 transmits, in accordance with an operationperformed by the user, to the web server 3, a request to view a webpage.As a result of the request to view a webpage, when the terminal 4receives a webpage information item corresponding to the webpage fromthe web server 3, the terminal 4 performs a display process on thewebpage information item, and displays the webpage on the display.

Note that the terminal 4 is, for example, a mobile phone. Alternatively,a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer, or the like maybe used as the terminal 4. Furthermore, although one terminal 4 isillustrated in FIG. 1, the number of terminals 4 may be two or more.

The network 5 is a communication network such as the Internet or a localarea network (LAN), regardless of whether the network 5 is a wirednetwork or wireless network.

Configuration of Microblog Classification Server

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration ofthe microblog classification server 1.

The microblog classification server 1 includes a controller 10, a memory11, and a communication section 12. The controller 10 is constituted bya CPU or the like, and controls individual units and executes varioustypes of programs. The memory 11 is provided as an example of a storagedevice that is constituted by a recording medium such as a hard diskdrive (HDD) or a flash memory and that stores information items. Thecommunication section 12 communicates with an external apparatus via thenetwork 5.

The controller 10 executes a microblog classification program 110, whichis described below, thereby functioning as a microblog-informationacquisition unit 100, a text-information classification unit 101, animage-information classification unit 102, a category associating unit103, a classification-result output unit 104, and so forth.

The microblog-information acquisition unit 100 acquires microbloginformation items 111 from the microblog server 2, and stores themicroblog information items 111 in the memory 11. Note that all of themicroblog information items accumulated in the microblog server 2 may beacquired as the microblog information items 111, or microbloginformation items that have been obtained by filtering using apredetermined time period, a predetermined keyword, or the like may beacquired as the microblog information items 111. A method for acquiringthe microblog information items 111 will be described below.

The text-information classification unit 101 considers information itemsthat have been obtained by removing image information items fromindividual posted information items included in the microbloginformation items 111 acquired by the microblog-information acquisitionunit 100, i.e., only text information items, as microblog textinformation items 112. Further, the individual text information itemsincluded in the microblog text information items 112 are classified intocategories to obtain results, and stores the results asmicroblog-text-information classification results 114 in the memory 11.

Note that, as an example of a classification method, thetext-information classification unit 101 determines whether or not eachof multiple words is present in text items that belong to the individualcategories, and generates a feature vector having the presence/absenceof the word as an element, thereby performing learning in advance. Thetext-information classification unit 101 generates a feature vectorsimilarly for a text information item that is a classification target,and compares the generated feature vector with the feature vectorobtained as a result of learning. Accordingly, the text information itemthat is a classification target is classified by determining whether thetext information item belongs to any one of the categories.

The image-information classification unit 102 considers informationitems that have been obtained by removing text information items fromindividual posted information items included in the microbloginformation items 111 acquired by the microblog-information acquisitionunit 100, i.e., only image information items, as microblog imageinformation items 113. Further, the image-information classificationunit 102 classifies individual images included in the microblog imageinformation items 113 into categories to obtain results, and stores theresults as the microblog—image-information classification results 115 inthe memory 11.

Note that, as an example of a classification method, theimage-information classification unit 102 generates feature informationitems of images related to the individual categories, thereby performinglearning in advance. The image-information classification unit 102similarly generates a feature information item of an image informationitem that is a classification target, and compares the generated featureinformation item with the feature information item obtained as a resultof learning. Accordingly, the image information item that is aclassification target is classified by determining whether the imageinformation item belongs to any one of the categories.

The category associating unit 103 associates themicroblog-text-information classification results 114 and themicroblog-image-information classification results 115 with each otheron the basis of the categories into which the microblog-text-informationclassification results 114 have been classified by the text-informationclassification unit 101 and the categories into which themicroblog-image-information classification results 115 have beenclassified by the image-information classification unit 102, and storesthe classification results as microblog-information classificationresults 116 in the memory 11.

The classification-result output unit 104 outputs themicroblog-information classification results 116 to an externalapparatus, e.g., the web server 3.

The memory 11 stores the microblog classification program 110, themicroblog information items 111, the microblog text information items112, the microblog image information items 113, themicroblog-text-information classification results 114, themicroblog-image-information classification results 115, themicroblog-information classification results 116, and so forth.

The microblog classification program 110 is a program that causes thecontroller 10 to operate as the above-described individual units 100 to104.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configurationof the microblog information items 111.

The microblog information items 111 have a microblog ID column and acontent column. In the microblog ID column, for example, identifiersthat are added in chronological order are arranged. In the contentcolumn, content items that are text items input as posted informationitems, URLs of other servers in which images (still images or movingimages) are stored and which are not illustrated, or the text items andthe URLs are arranged. Note that, instated of the URLs arranged in thecontent column, information items concerning the still images or themoving images may be directly arranged in the content column.

Note that, although each of the content items is an information itemposted by a user having a user ID and includes a time information itemindicating a time at which the content item was posted, here, the userID and the time information item are omitted and the content item isdisplayed.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configurationof the microblog text information items 112.

The microblog text information items 112 have a microblog ID column anda text content column. The microblog ID column is the microblog IDcolumn illustrated in FIG. 3, which is provided as a common column. Inthe text content column, content items that are text items which wereinput as posted information items are arranged.

In other words, the microblog text information items 112 are obtained byremoving, from the microblog information items 111, posted informationitems including only URLs in which images are stored, and by removing,from posted information items including URLs, the URLs.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configurationof the microblog image information items 113.

The microblog image information items 113 have a microblog ID column andan image content column. The microblog ID column is the microblog IDcolumn illustrated in FIG. 3, which is provided as a common column. Inthe image content column, actual image information items stored in URLswhich were input as posted information items are arranged.

In other words, the microblog image information items 113 are obtainedby removing, from the microblog information items 111, postedinformation items including only text items, and by acquiring imageinformation items from URLs in which images are stored.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configurationof the microblog-text-information classification results 114.

The microblog-text-information classification results 114 have amicroblog ID column, a text content column, and a category column. Themicroblog ID column is the microblog ID column illustrated in FIG. 3,which is provided as a common column. The text content column is thetext content column illustrated in FIG. 4, which is provided as a commoncolumn. In the category column, category names that are obtained asresults of classification of text items arranged in the text contentcolumn are arranged.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configurationof the microblog-image-information classification results 115.

The microblog-image-information classification results 115 have amicroblog ID column, an image content column, and a category column. Themicroblog ID column is the microblog ID column illustrated in FIG. 3,which is provided as a common column. The image content column is theimage content column illustrated in FIG. 5, which is provided as acommon column. In the category column, category names that are obtainedas results of classification of image information items arranged in theimage content column are arranged.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configurationof the microblog-information classification results 116.

The microblog-information classification results 116 have a microblog IDcolumn, an image content column, a text content column, and a categorycolumn. The microblog ID column is the microblog ID column illustratedin FIG. 3, which is provided as a common column. The image contentcolumn is the image content column illustrated in FIG. 5, which isprovided as a common column. The text content column is the text contentcolumn illustrated in FIG. 4, which is provided as a common column. Thecategory column is the category column illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7,which is provided as a common column.

Operation of Microblog Classification System

Next operations in the present exemplary embodiment are separatelydescribed as the following operations: (1) basic operation; (2)microblog-information acquiring operation; (3) microblog classificationoperation; and (4) classification-result output operation.

(1) Basic Operation

First, the user of the terminal 4 performs, on the terminal 4, anoperation for transmitting an information item, which is to be referredto as a posted information item, to the microblog.

The terminal 4 transmits, to the microblog server 2, in accordance withthe operation performed by the user, an information item which includesa text item, an image, or the like and which is to be referred to as aposted information item, thereby posting the information item on themicroblog.

The microblog server 2 receives the posted information item from theterminal 4, thereby accumulating the microblog information items.

Furthermore, the user of the terminal 4 performs, on the terminal 4, anoperation for viewing the microblog.

The terminal 4 transmits, to the microblog server 2, in accordance withthe operation performed by the user, a request to view the microbloginformation items.

The microblog server 2 transmits the microblog information items to theterminal 4.

When the terminal 4 receives the microblog information items from themicroblog server 2, the terminal 4 displays, on the display, text itemsor images posted on the microblog.

Meanwhile, the administrator of the web server 3 makes a request to themicroblog classification server 1 for information items that are to beused as materials for generating a webpage which is to be placed on theweb server 3. Note that the web server 3 may regularly make the requestto the microblog classification server 1.

The microblog classification server 1 operates as follows in response tothe request.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of themicroblog classification system.

(2) Microblog-Information Acquiring Operation

First, the microblog-information acquisition unit 100 acquires, from themicroblog server 2, the microblog information items 111 that are targets(S1).

The microblog-information acquisition unit 100 may acquire all of themicroblog information items stored in the microblog server 2 as themicroblog information items 111. However, the microblog-informationacquisition unit 100 may acquire some of the microblog informationitems, whereby the processing load for processes that are describedbelow may be reduced. A method for acquiring some of the microbloginformation items is, for example, as follows.

First, the microblog-information acquisition unit 100 specifies multiplekeywords related to the content of the webpage that is to be placed onthe web server 3.

Next, the microblog-information acquisition unit 100 retrieves a postedinformation item including one keyword selected from among the multiplekeywords.

Next, the microblog-information acquisition unit 100 identifies a userwho posted the information item that is the posted information itemwhich has been retrieved, and retrieves a posted information itemincluding another one of the specified keywords from posted informationitems that were posted in a predetermined time period among postedinformation items of the identified user. Next, a series of postedinformation items starting with the posted information item includingthe selected one keyword and ending with the posted information itemincluding the other keyword is acquired.

By acquiring some of the microblog information items stored in themicroblog server 2 as described above, a series of posted informationitems transmitted by a certain user for a certain keyword may beacquired.

(3) Microblog Classification Operation

Next, the text-information classification unit 101 considers informationitems that have been obtained by removing image information items fromposted information items included in the microblog information items 111illustrated in FIG. 3, i.e., only text information items, as themicroblog text information items 112 illustrated in FIG. 4 (S2). In theexample illustrated in FIG. 3, URLs that are destinations in which imageinformation items are stored are removed.

Furthermore, the text-information classification unit 101 classifies theindividual text information items included in the microblog textinformation items 112 illustrated in FIG. 4 into the categories toobtain results, and stores the results as the microblog-text-informationclassification results 114 in the memory 11 as illustrated in FIG. 6(S3).

Meanwhile, the image-information classification unit 102 considersinformation items that have been obtained by removing text informationitems from the microblog information items 111 which have been acquiredby the microblog-information acquisition unit 100 and which areillustrated in FIG. 3, i.e., only image information items, as themicroblog image information items 113 illustrated in FIG. 5 (S4). In theexample illustrated in FIG. 4, text information items are removed, andimage information items are acquired from URLs in which the imageinformation items are stored.

Moreover, the image-information classification unit 102 classifiesindividual images included in the microblog image information items 113illustrated in FIG. 4 into the categories to obtain results, and storesthe results as the microblog-image-information classification results115 in the memory 11 as illustrated in FIG. 7.

Next, the category associating unit 103 stores themicroblog-text-information classification results 114, which areillustrated in FIG. 6, and the microblog-image-informationclassification results 115, which are illustrated in FIG. 7, as themicroblog-information classification results 116, which are illustratedin FIG. 8, in the memory 11 so that the microblog-text-informationclassification results 114 and the microblog-image-informationclassification results 115 are associated with each other on the basisof categories arranged in the category column.

(4) Classification-Result Output Operation

Next, the classification-result output unit 104 outputs themicroblog-information classification results 116 to the web server 3(S7).

The web server 3 generates the webpage on the basis of themicroblog-information classification results 116.

Note that “(2) microblog-information acquiring operation” and “(3)microblog classification operation” may be performed at predeterminedtime intervals or every time the microblog information items stored inthe microblog server 2 are updated. In such a case, themicroblog-information classification results 116 are successivelytransmitted from the microblog classification server 1 to the web server3. Furthermore, it is supposed that the web server 3 updates thecontents of the webpage every time the microblog-informationclassification results 116 are received.

Meanwhile, the terminal 4 transmits, to the web server 3, a request toview the webpage. In response to the request to view the webpage, theweb server 3 transmits a webpage information item corresponding to thewebpage to the terminal 4.

When the terminal 4 receives the webpage information item from the webserver 3, the terminal 4 performs a display process on the webpageinformation item, and displays the webpage on the display.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a displayscreen that is obtained by performing a display process on the webpageinformation item generated on the basis of the microblog-informationclassification results 116.

A webpage display screen 40 is, for example, a display screen showing afireworks display that was held in the past. The webpage display screen40 includes a title 400, image display regions 401 a and 402 a . . . ,and text display regions 401 b and 402 b . . . . In the image displayregions 401 a and 402 a . . . , image information items are displayedfor each of the categories into which the image information item havebeen classified by the image-information classification unit 102. In thetext display regions 401 b and 402 b . . . , text information items aredisplayed for each of the categories into which the text informationitem have been classified by the text-information classification unit101.

Note that, although the web server 3 updates the contents of the webpageinformation item every time the web server 3 receives themicroblog-information classification results 116, the image displayregions 401 a and 402 a . . . and the text display regions 401 b and 402b . . . may be updated independently of each other. The reason for thisis that, in a microblog that is typically operated at present, in mostcases, the number of image information items is smaller than the numberof text information items. In other words, the reason is as follows. Thenumber of image information items (for example, the number of stillimages) for each of the categories into which the image informationitems have been classified and the number of the text information items(the number of posted information items input as text items) for each ofthe categories into which the text information items have beenclassified are different from each other. If the image display regions401 a and 402 a . . . and the text display regions 401 b and 402 b . . .are simultaneously updated, the area of the text display regions 401 band 402 b . . . that are necessary to display text information itemsbecomes larger than that of the image display regions 401 a and 402 a .. . that are necessary to display image information items. Consequently,the balance therebetween is lost.

Accordingly, time intervals at which display of image information itemsis updated and time intervals at which display of text information itemsis updated may be different from each other. In this case, the timeintervals at which display of image information items is updated are setto be longer than the time intervals at which display of textinformation items is updated, whereby the above-described issue may beaddressed. Moreover, the time intervals at which display of imageinformation items is updated may be set to be shorter than the timeintervals at which display of text information items is updated.

For example, it is supposed that 100 images are classified as imageinformation items related to a category of “fireworks”, and 1000 textinformation items are classified as text information items related tothe category of “fireworks”. In this case, the time intervals at whichdisplay of image information items is updated are set to be longer thanthe time intervals at which display of text information items is updated(for example, display of image information items is updated at timeintervals which are 10 times the time intervals at which display of textinformation items is updated), whereby, in the case where the textdisplay regions 401 b and 402 b . . . and the text display regions 401 band 402 b . . . are displayed, the balance therebetween may bemaintained.

Additionally, the types of webpages placed on the web server 3 are notparticularly limited. In addition to a report of an event held in thepast as illustrated in FIG. 10, examples of the types of webpages placedon the web server 3 include a complaint report that is viewed by membersof the executive committee of an event and a summary website related toa certain keyword.

In the foregoing first exemplary embodiment, the microblog informationitems 111 are divided into the microblog text information items 112 andthe microblog image information items 113. Classification of themicroblog text information items 112 into categories and classificationof the microblog image information items 113 into categories areperformed independently of each other. The microblog text informationitems 112 and the microblog image information items 113 are associatedwith each other for each of the categories. Accordingly, postedinformation items in which multiple text information items and imageinformation items are mixed and which are displayed in chronologicalorder may be classified.

Furthermore, in the case where a text item and a URL of an image areincluded in one posted information item, if the posted information itemincluding the text item and the URL of an image is displayed as aclassification result, a category into which the text item has beenclassified and a category into which the image has been classified donot necessarily match. However, the accuracy at which the content of atext information item and the content of an image information item matchmay be improved, compared with that in the case where the postedinformation item including the text item and the URL of an image isdisplayed as a classification result.

Second Exemplary Embodiment

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration ofa microblog classification server according to a second exemplaryembodiment. The same components in the first exemplary embodiment aredenoted by the same reference numerals.

A microblog classification server 1A according to the second exemplaryembodiment is obtained by adding category association information items117 to the configuration of the microblog classification server 1according the first exemplary embodiment. Furthermore, the operation ofthe category associating unit 103 in the second exemplary embodiment isdifferent from that of the category associating unit 103 in the firstexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of aconfiguration of the category association information items 117.

The category association information items 117 include an overallcategory column, a text information category column, and an imageinformation category column. In the overall category column, categoriesused to associate the categories for text information items and thecategories for image information items with each other are arranged. Inthe text information category column, the categories into which themicroblog text information items 112 are classified are arranged. In theimage information category column, the categories into which themicroblog image information items 113 are classified are arranged.

Operations in Second Exemplary Embodiment

Operations in the second exemplary embodiment are similar to theoperations in the first exemplary embodiment except an operationdescribed below. Accordingly, a description thereof is omitted.

The category associating unit 103 associates themicroblog-text-information classification results 114, which areillustrated in FIG. 6 and the microblog-image-information classificationresults 115, which are illustrated in FIG. 7, with each other on thebasis of the categories arranged in the category columns and thecategory association information items 117, and stores theclassification results as the microblog-information classificationresults 116 in the memory 11.

For example, image information items are classified using imageanalysis. Accordingly, image information items are not classified intosubjective categories such as a category of “obstacles” and a categoryof “disappointed”, and classified into objective categories such as acategory of “wait in line”. In the first exemplary embodiment, imageinformation items are not directly associated with text informationitems classified into categories such as the category of “obstacles” andthe category of “disappointed”. However, in the second exemplaryembodiment, in the case where a category of “negative” is set as anoverall category, image information items classified into the categoryof “wait in line” and text information items classified into categoriessuch as the category of “obstacles” and the category of “disappointed”may be associated with each other as information items classified intothe same category.

In the foregoing second exemplary embodiment, a configuration is used,in which, in the case where the category associating unit 103 associatestext information items and image information items, the text informationitems and the image information items are associated with each other onthe basis of the category association information items 117 instead ofperfect matching of categories. Thus, information items posted on themicroblog may be classified into categories that are conceptuallybroader than those in the first exemplary embodiment.

Note that the category associating unit 103 may associate, usingparameters other than categories, image information items and textinformation items with each other. For example, in the case where textinformation items and image information items include time informationitems, a condition where the time information item included in an imageinformation item and the time information item included in a textinformation item are within a certain time period may be used as acondition under which the image information item and the textinformation item are associated with each other. Moreover, in the casewhere text information items and image information items include userinformation items, a condition where the user information item includedin an image information item and the user information item included in atext information item match may be used as a condition under which theimage information item and the text information item are associated witheach other. Additionally, in the case where text information items andimage information items include location information items such asglobal positioning system (GPS) information items, a condition where thelocation information item included in an image information item and thelocation information item included in a text information item match maybe used as a condition under which the image information item and thetext information item are associated with each other.

Furthermore, the text-information classification unit 101 and theimage-information classification unit 102 may change the degrees ofassociation with the categories into a numeric form using scores. Thecategory associating unit 103 may associate themicroblog-text-information classification results 114 and themicroblog-image-information classification results 115 with each otheron the basis of the scores.

Other Exemplary Embodiments

Note that the present invention is not limited to the foregoingexemplary embodiment, and various modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention. For example, themicroblog is not limited to Twitter (registered trademark), and any typeof medium may be used if the medium is a medium on which comparativelyshort text items are posted, in which text information items and imageinformation items (including still images, moving images, and linkdestination information items concerning links to information itemsconcerning the still images or moving images) are mixed, and in which alarge number of text information items and image information items aredisplayed in chronological order, such as Facebook (registeredtrademark). Furthermore, for example, messages of mail may be targets tobe processed as posted information items.

In the foregoing exemplary embodiment, the functions of the individualunits 100 to 104 included in the controller 10 are realized by aprogram. However, all or some of the individual units may be realized byhardware such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).Furthermore, the program used in the foregoing exemplary embodiment maybe stored on a recording medium, such as a compact disc read-only memory(CD-ROM), and supplied. Moreover, the steps described in the foregoingexemplary embodiment may be, for example, replaced, removed, or addedwithout changing the scope of the present invention.

The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention has been provided for the purposes of illustration anddescription. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modificationsand variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. Theembodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and its practical applications, therebyenabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited tothe particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of theinvention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storinga program causing a computer to execute a process, the processcomprising: acquiring a plurality of posted information items, each ofthe plurality of posted information items including at least either of atext information item and an image information item; generating textinformation items including a plurality of text items in such a mannerthat image information items are removed from the plurality of postedinformation items, and individually classifying the text items includedin the text information items into first categories; generating imageinformation items including a plurality of images in such a manner thattext information items are removed from the plurality of postedinformation items, and individually classifying the images included inthe image information items into second categories; associating theclassified text items and the classified images with each other on thebasis of the first and second categories to obtain results; andoutputting the text items and the images, which have been associatedwith each other, for each of the results.
 2. The medium according toclaim 1, wherein, in the outputting, the text items and the images areoutput independently of each other for each of the results.
 3. Themedium according to claim 1, wherein, in the associating, associationinformation items in which the first categories and the secondcategories are associated with each other using overall categories areprovided, and the classified text items and the classified images areassociated with each other on the basis of the first categories, thesecond categories, and the overall categories included in theassociation information items.
 4. The medium according to claim 2,wherein, in the associating, association information items in which thefirst categories and the second categories are associated with eachother using overall categories are provided, and the classified textitems and the classified images are associated with each other on thebasis of the first categories, the second categories, and the overallcategories included in the association information items.
 5. Aninformation classification method comprising: acquiring a plurality ofposted information items, each of the plurality of posted informationitems including at least either of a text information item and an imageinformation item; generating text information items including aplurality of text items in such a manner that image information itemsare removed from the plurality of posted information items, andindividually classifying the text items included in the text informationitems into first categories; generating image information itemsincluding a plurality of images in such a manner that text informationitems are removed from the plurality of posted information items, andindividually classifying the images included in the image informationitems into second categories; associating the classified text items andthe classified images with each other on the basis of the first andsecond categories to obtain results; and outputting the text items andthe images, which have been associated with each other, for each of theresults.
 6. An information processing apparatus comprising: anacquisition unit that acquires a plurality of posted information items,each of the plurality of posted information items including at leasteither of a text information item and an image information item; a textclassification unit that generates text information items including aplurality of text items in such a manner that image information itemsare removed from the plurality of posted information items, and thatindividually classifies the text items included in the text informationitems into first categories; an image classification unit that generatesimage information items including a plurality of images in such a mannerthat text information items are removed from the plurality of postedinformation items, and that individually classifies the images includedin the image information items into second categories; an associatingunit that associates the classified text items and the classified imageswith each other on the basis of the first and second categories toobtain results; and an output unit that outputs the text items and theimages, which have been associated with each other by the associatingunit, for each of the results.